What’s the Best Video Game Trailer Ever?

I was going to write about something completely different today, but while watching The Flash during lunch, I happened to catch a commercial that had me in awe. It literally gave me tingles.

After finding it on YouTube and watching it another 10 times, I realized I had to write about it, even though I’m not sure what to say.

You see, I don’t play video games. I have nothing against them at all–really, I’m missing out on an incredible form of art and entertainment. I just don’t make time for it.

But I really enjoy video game trailers. The sense of mystery and story and immersion is incredible in some of them. And they’re often paired with the absolute perfect piece of music.

Well, that’s definitely the case in this music trailer for Final Fantasy XV. It’s like Stranger Things combined with titans and heroes and swords. It’s about standing up for your friends despite the odds. It’s about finding strength and magic in yourself.

The editor found the absolute perfect moment to kick Florence and the Machine’s rendition of “Stand by Me” into high gear. Do you get the chills at that moment? Man, it’s so good.

If you have one, what’s your favorite video game trailer?

22 thoughts on “What’s the Best Video Game Trailer Ever?”

  1. Pokemon Sun and Moon, first non-teaser trailer. Just hit just the right nostalgia notes for me. Can’t find it now, annoyingly, there have been so many since, but it actually reminded me of the good John Lewis Christmas commercials in terms of direction.

    (Which… Was actually interesting since the John Lewis commercial closest to that one coming out was notably rubbish, so it made up for no equivalent to something like Bear and Hare John Lewis commercial, which I can find, and is possibly my favorite commercial of all time:

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  2. I don’t have a favorite trailer – I’ve really enjoyed the few I’ve seen, but I came on here just to say that final fantasy is the only thing I miss about video games. I sometimes wish I had more discretionary time so this out-prioritized love could find it’s way back into my life.
    Thanks for sharing the trailer!

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  3. The trailer for Dragon Age Inquisition: Trespasser is one of the most engrossing trailers I’ve ever seen. I’d barely heard of the game and that trailer alone, with its foreshadowing and subtle display of what had passed without spoiling anything, spurred me to pick up the game.

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    • Thanks for sharing, Avery! There’s a lot going on in that trailer, and I love how the camera flies through the portals.

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  4. I’m going to nitpick here, while the trailer for FFXV is awesome and well done, it does lend itself to making you think the game is multiplayer that you can play with your friends though the story, which unfortunately, you are not able to do.

    In terms of great trailers I like this one recently from Nintendo. It has touches of nostalgia from familiar landmarks, music, and other little Easter eggs. It has great music. It shows you tidbits of game play on what you can do. I may be partial as I’ve played every Zelda Game out there, but this is a great trailer.

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    • Neilan: The Dead Island trailer is a must-watch–thanks for mentioning it. And I like the theatrical element of the Mass Effect 2 trailer.

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  5. Jamey,

    I missed the video game and board game revolution, having been stationed overseas in the late ’90s. However, while I eventually gravitated to board games, my go-to for a video game was, and still is, StarCraft. A friend had bought me the original title, plus Brood War, and I played that for more than two years. In the 2010-2011 timeframe, they issued StarCraft II, and the video, only 90 seconds long, with no action sequences whatsoever…only an inmate who is fastened into a Marine suit was utterly captivating.

    CHeers,
    Joe

    Reply
  6. Even though this game is like 8 years old or so, I still think this is my favorite trailer to date. The way they transitioned between characters and tied them all together was done superbly IMO. And listening to it in full 7.1 surround sound was amazing!

    Reply

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